WeChat ESL Class on March 26, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. Short Story: Lottery - A Chance at Millions

In the United States, 43 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all have their own lottery. A lottery is used for states to raise money. Licensed stores sell numbered tickets, or people can pay to choose their own numbers. When you let a machine pick your numbers it is usually called a Quick Pick. Many people play lucky numbers, numbers associated with birthdates or other important numbers to them. The money earned from selling lottery tickets goes to pay for schools, roads, bridges, and other public services. Once a week or more, a drawing is held where the numbers are randomly picked. If your ticket has those numbers, you could win a cash prize.

There are different types of lotteries, such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto. Powerball and Mega Millions are known for their large payouts. There are also instant lottery tickets that are scratch off cards. The winnings tend to be less money but they are extremely popular.

In the United States, you can play the lottery, or buy a ticket if you are 18 years or older . If you win, usually you have the option of being paid the entire amount in one lump sum or of being paid smaller amounts over a number of years. Lottery winnings are taxable, meaning the amount you actually get is smaller than the jackpot number. People can buy lottery tickets or play the lottery at many convenience stores. Lotteries are also very popular since they advertise. There are many television commercials, radio commercials and billboards urging people to play.

Lotteries have been controversial since they are essentially a form of legalized gambling. There is concern that it can lead to people becoming addicted to gambling. There are also illegal lottery games, usually run by some forms of organized crime.

D. American Idioms

1. baby boomer
2. batting a thousand
3. be out in left field
4. beat someone to the punch
5. beating a dead horse
6. belt and suspenders
7. bet the ranch
8. bet your bottom dollar
9. blow off steam
10. Big Apple

E. Bible Lesson - 1 Samuel 3

The Lord Calls Samuel

3 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then theLord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God,[a] and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lordappeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

Questions:

3:1-21 Make up and act out a dramatic story about the *Lord’s call to Samuel. It might have 4 scenes: 3:1-10; 3:11-14; 3:15-18; 3:19-21.

3:1 What was happening ‘in those days’? How do you think ‘those days’ may be similar to now? How do you think ‘those days’ are different from now?

3:2-10 Put this story into your own words. What do you think about what was happening? Would you be more like Eli or more like Samuel?

3:11-14 What might you have been thinking if you had been Samuel? Write a *word-picture of what the *Lord told Samuel about Eli. Whom will God not forgive?

3:15-18 Imagine that you had been Samuel that day. Tell what happened in your own words. What do you think about all that?

3:19-21 Put this into your own words. What do you think about that?

WeChat ESL Class on March 19, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. American Holiday:    Saint Patrick's Day

       Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, is a Christian religious holiday that celebrates the patron saint of Ireland. According to the legend, St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. St. Patrick's Day has also become, especially in the United States, a day to celebrate Irish culture. In major cities across the country like in New York and Boston, there are parades and festivals. People wear green and decorate with shamrocks, a type of three-leaf clover. Some people wear buttons or tee shirts that say "Kiss me, I'm Irish". In the U.S. St. Patrick's Day is not a legal holiday, meaning government offices and schools are open.

The biggest and oldest parade takes place in New York City. It actually began about 250 years ago before the U.S. was even its own country. Every year thousands gather along the famous Fifth Avenue to watch hundreds of Irish step dancers and bagpipe players march. Irish step dancing is done in groups or solo. Dancers perform complicated moves with their feet and legs while keeping their upper bodies stiff. The parade has also been a source of controversy because the parade is associated with the Catholic Church in New York City; gay and lesbian organizations have not been allowed to march. Many people protest the parade or boycott it.

St. Patrick's Day has also become associated with the drinking of a lot of alcohol, specifically beer. One drink that is often seen around the holiday is "Green Beer". This is really just regular beer with green food coloring. Many people feel like the holiday celebrates stereotypes about the Irish, like the myth that they all like to drink and get drunk. Others complain that the holiday has become too focused on drinking, with public drunkenness as a problem in major cities around the holiday.

D. American Idioms:

1. all bets are off
2. all hat, no cattle
3. all over the map
4. armchair quarterback
5. almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades
6. a day late and a dollar short
7. at a drop of a dime
8. at loose ends
9. at the bottom of the totem pole
10. at the end of your rope

E. Bible Lesson  - 1 Samuel 2

Hannah's Prayer

2 And Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
    because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 “There is none holy like the Lord:
    for there is none besides you;
    there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
    let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
    but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,
    and on them he has set the world.

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
    for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
    against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
    he will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy[a] was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.

Eli's Worthless Sons

12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

18 Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May theLord give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of theLord.” So then they would return to their home.

21 Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.

Eli Rebukes His Sons

22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lordspreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.

The Lord Rejects Eli's Household

27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says theLord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do youscorn[b] my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore theLord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold,the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house.32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his[c] eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants[d] of your house shall die by the sword of men.[e]34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. 36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”

Questions:

2:1-2 What does Hannah say that is *worship to God? What names does Hannah use to speak to God? How do they show what she thinks about God? How does Hannah say ‘Thank you’ to God?

How important is it to thank God? When would it be a good idea to thank God? What will you do about all that?

2:3 What does Hannah say that is a warning to us? Who will judge you? What special advantage does God have, when he judges?

2:4-5 Make two lists. Make one list of the bad things that will come to people. Make another list of the good things.

What do you think about those things that God will cause to happen? What kind of thing can happen when God judges?

2:6-7 What does Hannah say that the *Lord does? What do you think about those things?

2:8a What does God do for poor people? What do you think about that? What do you and people in your neighbourhood need to do, that is different, for poor people?

2:8b What does Hannah say about the *Lord? What does Hannah say about the earth? What does Hannah say about the world? What do you think about that?

2:9-10a How does God choose between people? What can you expect if you are loyal to God? Who will judge God?

2:10b What does Hannah say about God and a king?

2:11 What do you learn about Samuel and his family?

2:12-36 Make up and act out a dramatic story about Eli and his sons. It might be in 3 acts: 2:12-17 (Leviticus 7:28-36 and Numbers 18:21-28 also tells about the work of priests); 2:18-26; 2:27-36.

2:12-17 What do you learn about the character of Eli’s sons? What was it that Eli’s sons did as priests? How did Eli’s sons deal with other people? What do you think about that?

2:18-21, 26 Put this story into your own words. What do you learn about Samuel’s mother and father?

What do you learn about Eli?

What do you learn about Samuel? What do you learn about Hannah? What do you learn about the *Lord? What will you do in a different way because you have learned these things?

2:22-25, 27-36 Put this story into your own words. What does the man of God say about the history of the priests? What does the man of God say will happen to Eli and his sons? What else did the man of God say would happen? What do you think about all that?

WeChat ESL Class on March 12, 2016

A. High Lights of your week

B. Breaking News in the world

C. Short Story: Knock, Knock, Knock!

Linda's apartment intercom buzzed. She picked up the intercom phone. "Hello," she said. "The UPX man is coming up," said Julia. Julia worked at the front desk. Finally! Linda had been waiting two weeks to return a package. She took the package to the front door. She waited for the doorbell to ring. She thought she heard someone. She opened the door. No one was there. She shut the door. She stood just inside the door. A few minutes went by. She stared at the package. Where was this guy? Did he get lost? Did the elevator get stuck? Did he go to the wrong floor? Maybe she should call Julia back. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Linda almost jumped out of her skin. Was he trying to break the door down? She couldn't believe the door was still on its hinges. "UPX!" the man yelled at the top of his lungs.

D. Idioms

1. at stake

2. back down (from something)

3. back out (of something)

4. ball is in (someone's) court

5. beat around the bush

6. blow a deal

7. bog down

8. bone of contention

9. break down

10. bring (someone) to terms

E. Bible Lesson
1 Samuel 1:

1 Samuel 1English Standard Version (ESV)

The Birth of Samuel

1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.[a] 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of theLord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”[b]

Samuel Given to the Lord

21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the Lord and dwell there forever.”23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the Lord establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,[c] an ephah[d] of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young.25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him.28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

And he worshiped the Lord there.

Chapter 1

1:1-20 Make up and act a dramatic story about Elkanah and his family and their visit to Shiloh. It might have four scenes: 1:1-8; 1:9-11; 1:12-18; 1:19-20.

1:1 How do you know that Elkanah was a real person? What do you learn about Elkanah’s *tribe and where he lived?

1:2 What do you learn about Elkanah’s family? What difficulties do you think that Elkanah had in his family?

1:3 Whom do you learn about here? What was the activity, or work, of each of these people?

1:4, 5 What do you learn about Elkanah? What was most important for him? What do you learn about God?

1:6-8 What do you learn about Elkanah’s two wives? What did Elkanah do? What do you think about all that?

1:9-11 What was Eli doing? Why might the writer have mentioned that Eli was sitting down? Eli was the High Priest. What work might he have done better? What do you learn about Hannah? What do you learn from her prayer? What do you learn about her attitude to God?

1:12-18 What do you think about Eli and Hannah in this verse? Eli did not understand Hannah. Whom do you know that people might not understand?

1:19, 20 Put this into your own words. What do you learn about what was important to Elkanah and his family?

1:21-2:11 Make up and act out a dramatic story about Hannah and Samuel. You might make up a modern example similar to Hannah’s prayer 2:1-11. You could read it in sections as a public prayer. People need to apply what is true to their own lives. There could be activities that would help people to do that.

1:21 What do you learn about Elkanah and his family? In what ways is Elkanah’s behavior different from yours? What do you think about that? What changes will you make to your own behavior?

1:22, 23 Put this into your own words. What do you think about Hannah and Elkanah’s behavior? What changes might you want to make in your own family or neighborhood?

1:24, 25a Put this story into your own words. What things about this story are different from the things that you do in your neighborhood? What do you think about that?

1:25b-28 Put this story into your own words. What do you think about Hannah? What do you think about what she says and does? What will you do in a different way because of this story?